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Order of the Bladed Scholar
''"We are the shields of knowledge. We are the swords of truth. We carry the torch of learning into the dark places and excise the ignorance with our light." - Creed of the Order '' The Order of the Bladed Scholar is an organisation established by Hidal in late 705LN. The Order is dedicated to the protection and spread of knowledge. The Order is aligned to Aureon. The Order has strong ties with The Bridge and is centered in Shi-Meer-Jan. History Foundation The Order of the Bladed Scholar was founded by Hidal on 705LN. He founded the the Order within Sang City's library and temple to Aureon. Using extra-dimensional magic, he expanded the temple to accommodate for new acolytes. The fame of The Adorned Hand led many to seek tutelage under Hidal. Other spellcasters joined the Order as teachers, either at the invitation of Hidal or for an opportunity to learn from the many collected books in the temple. Tensions with Telinor Tensions with Telinor due to the increase in power of the Blackstaves and the refusal to teach human students led to the Order allying with the Bridge. After the death of Eol'din and the subsequent change in policy, most of the Bridge disbanded and many found a place in the Order. Allarcia's Arrival Hidal, along with a few select scholars of the Order, travelled to a secretive place to help bring Allarcia, an exarch of Aureon, through to the Material Plane at an accelerated pace. However, members of the Unbidden discovered this plot and sought to prevent the arrival of more outsiders on Tolas. The attack by the Unbidden was not successful in preventing Allarcia's arrival, but did lead to the death of Hidal. Allarcia assumed the role of Grand Master of the Order and led her followers to the Meer Lake, where she raised Shi-Meer-Jan, the fabled and lost city under the lake to the surface. She made the Palace of the Lake in Shi-Meer-Jan the new headquarters of the Order. New Order The years following the arrival of Allarcia saw many changes for the order. Pilgrims began to arrive from near and far to see Allarcia, some to study under her and others to worship. This congregation would grow into the group known as the Acolytes of Allarcia. The Order was folded into the Acolytes, remaining as Allarcia's most trusted servants and serving as mentors and leaders for the ever growing throng of faithful. Structure Grand Master The Grand Master is the head of the Order. Mentors The Acolytes of Allarcia have established a number of academies across Tolas and each one is assigned a Mentor to lead it. Handpicked from among the order by Allarcia herself they are spellcasters of the highest order and are responsible for enacting the will of Aureon. Some Mentors depart from Shi-Meer-Jan with the express command to establish operations in a particular location, often with the intention of locating and retrieving artefacts of power. Scholars Scholars make up the majority of the Order. The heirarchy of the Order is mostly flat and all Scholars are considered equal, with each one's knowledge and opinion being fairly weighted. Primarily, Scholars hold to the original tenets of the Order, dedicating themselves to travelling the land with their skills, defending knowledge and teaching any willing to learn. Scholars also acts as operatives for Allarcia, completing difficult or dangerous tasks that few others could manage. Candidates Since Allarcia's investiture as Grand Master new Order members have been drawn from members of the Acolytes. Notable Members Grand Master * Hidal - First Grand Master and founder of the Order. * Allarcia - Current Grand Master. Mentors * Tori Halford - Mentor of Sang City, daughter of Herne Halforf * Shureska - Mentor of Shi-Meer-Jan. A black furred catfolk hailing from the Homelands Scholars * Kaden Newthistle - Scholar and Bridge member, serves in the city of Telinor * Ledimono of the Ochre Vale - Ex-Mentor of Shi-Meer-Jan, now demoted Spymaster * Tal - A shadow summoner, and espionage agent. Tal serves as the first Spymaster of the Order. Locations Headquarters * Shi-Meer-Jan - The Palace of the Lake in Shi-Meer-Jan was made the new Headquarters of the Order by Allarcia. Order Houses * Sang City - The Grand Order House in Sang City was the Headquarters of the Order prior to the death of the first Grand Master. * Osana - The city of Osana was the first city where an Order House was formed. The prevalence of magic and learning in the city made it a natural fit to the Order's goals and methods. * Telinor - An Order House was established in Telinor in a building that was originally a hall for The Bridge. * Yeleghem - The Yeleghem Order House was established shortly before the Rise of Tiamat. Goals Ideal The Order of the Bladed Scholar is dedicated to the spread and protection of knowledge. Bladed Scholar Archetype The bladed scholar is an archetype for the fighter. Arcane Favour (Su) A bladed scholar has a small pool of arcane power, a gift from Aureon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/2 the scholar's level (minimum 1) + their Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the bladed scholar prays to Aureon. As long as there is at least 1 point in the bladed scholar's arcane pool, all Knowledge skills and Spellcraft are considered class skills for them and they are considered trained in those skills for the purposes of permitting checks. As a free action the bladed scholar can spend an arcane favour to gain a +2 to the next Knowledge, Spellcraft or Use Magic Device check they take. At 10th level they gain +4 instead. This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 1st level. Arcane Invocation Beginning at 2nd level, the scholar gains access arcane invocations. The bladed scholar selects one invocation at 2nd level. Additionally, whenever the scholar would gain a fighter bonus feat (including the 2nd level feat), they may instead choose to gain an invocation. Unless otherwise noted, the saving throw DC for an invocation is equal to 10 + 1/2 the scholar's level + Intelligence modifier and any conditions applied by an invocation last a number of rounds equal to their Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). This ability replaces bravery and alters the fighter's bonus feats. Acidic Invocation The scholar can unleash a jet of acid by expending 1 arcane favour and making a ranged touch attack against any one target within 30 feet. If the attack hits, it deals 1d6 points of acid damage + the scholar's Intelligence modifier, plus an additional 1d6 points of acid damage for every 2 levels beyond 1st (to a maximum of 10d6 at 19th level). The target is also sickened. It can attempt a Fortitude saving throw to negate the sickened condition. Electric Spear The scholar can unleash a lance of lightning by expending 1 arcane favour and making a ranged touch attack against any one target within 30 feet. If the attack hits, it deals 1d6 points of electricity damage + the scholar's Intelligence modifier, plus 1d6 points of electricity damage for every 2 levels beyond 1st (to a maximum of 10d6 at 19th level). The target's vision is also impaired, causing the target to be blinded. It can attempt a Fortitude saving throw to negate the impaired vision. Blazing Slash The scholar can unleash an arc of flame by expending 1 arcane favour. This creates a 30-foot line of flame that deals 1d6 points of fire damage + the scholar's Intelligence modifier, plus an additional 1d6 points of fire damage for every 2 levels beyond 1st (to a maximum of 10d6 at 19th level) to each target in the line. Creatures in the area of effect may attempt a Reflex saving throw to halve the damage. Icicle Spray The scholar can unleash a freezing projectile by expending 1 arcane favour and making a ranged touch attack against any one target within 30 feet. If the attack hits, it deals 1d6 points of cold damage + the scholar's Intelligence modifier, plus an additional 1d6 points of cold damage for every 2 levels beyond 1st (to a maximum of 10d6 at 19th level). In addition, the target is staggered. It can attempt a Fortitude saving throw to negate the staggered condition. Jaunt The scholar can expend 1 arcane favour to make a short teleport to reach another location. This ability is used as part of a move action or withdraw action, allowing them to move up to 10 feet per scholar level to any location they can see. This counts as 5 feet of movement. They can only use this ability once per round. They do not provoke attacks of opportunity when moving in this way, but any other movement they attempt as part of their move action provokes as normal. From 7th level onwards, the scholar can instead spend a second favour and cast Hidal's Thunderous Jaunt. Spell Shield The scholar can expend an arcane favour as an immediate action to gain a shield bonus to AC equal to his Intelligence bonus until the end of his next turn, as per the Spell Shield magus arcana. Invocation of Speed The scholar can spend 1 arcane favour to cast blurred movement as a spell-like ability. At 3rd level the scholar can instead cast bladed dash and at 5th level can instead cast haste. Elemental Barrier The scholar can protect themselves from energy damage as a standard action by expending 1 arcane favour and gaining resistance 10 against a specific energy type, as per the Energy Shield arcanist exploit. Familiar A scholar that takes this invocation gains a familiar as per the Familiar arcanist exploit. See Magic If the scholar expends 1 arcane favour, for 1 minute she instantly recognizes magic item auras and spell effects as per the See Magic arcanist exploit. Invocation of Denial The scholar can attempt to counter a spell as it is being cast. They must identify the spell being cast as normal. If they successfully does so, the scholar can attempt to counter the spell as an immediate action. To counterspell, the scholar must attempt a dispel check as if using dispel magic and spend a number of arcane favours equal to 1 + the spell level of the spell being cast. If they expend all their favours and still do not reach the requisite number of favours spent, they can still attempt to dispel, but receive a -1 penalty for each favour they failed to spend. Category:HomerulesCategory:Prestige ClassCategory:Organisations Category:Archetype Category:Aureon